Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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274. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which various school building projects throughout the country have been able to progress throughout the Covid-19 downturn; the locations of any particular difficulties in this regard; the proposed or ongoing action to address such issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45888/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has a large-scale and ambitious roll-out of school building projects under the National Development Plan and as part of Project Ireland 2040. The continuation of construction work on school building projects during lockdown period in early 2021 was an important enabler to facilitating the delivery of our school building programme.

During the NDP period 2018-2020, there were 526 completed building projectsunder the Large Scale Capital Programme (LSCP) and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA). These projects delivered in excess of 48,000 school places, including permanent accommodation for 229 special classes;and additional capacity for 67 classrooms in 14 special schoolsthroughout the country. There are also currently some 250 school building projects on site many of which will be completed in 2022.

My Department is aware of the challenges of Covid and the challenging market conditions currently underway and is working proactively to ensure that all school building contracts are awarded as expeditiously as possible, while working within the parameters set by the Office of Government Procurement and principles of public procurement set out at both national and EU level.

My Department works closely with design teams on school projects to permit reasonable additional time for tenderers to submit tenders, allowing them ample time to price appropriately given the current market.

Where the tender closing date has already passed, and the lowest tenderer advises the Department that they can no longer stand over their tender and are withdrawing from the tender process, the design team are authorised to proceed to processing the next lowest tender until such point as a tenderer agrees to stand over their tender thus ensuring the progression of all projects in the pipeline.

Once contracts are awarded, any variations to the contract sum must be addressed within the standard provisions of the Public Works Contracts.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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276. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which she has agreed to provide new second-level schools at precise locations throughout north County Kildare; the extent to which such works are in hand or ongoing; the schedule for the projects concerned; the extent to which any such projects in terms of construction or planning have been impacted by Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45890/21]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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277. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which she has agreed to provide new primary schools at precise locations throughout north County Kildare; the extent to which such works are in hand or ongoing; the schedule for the projects concerned; the extent to which any such projects in terms of construction or planning have been impacted by Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45891/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together.

My Department continuously monitors demographic growth in order to ensure that sufficient school places are available and the requirement to provide new schools is generally driven by demographic pressures arising from development.

Two new primary schools were established in the North Kildare area in 2019, one under the patronage of Educate Together opened in Leixlip and a gaelscoil, under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta opened in Maynooth. A further primary school has been announced for Naas and the establishment date will take account of the demographic position and roll-out of planned additional housing. A post-primary school, Gaelcholáiste Mhaigh Nuad, was established in 2020 and a further post primary school was established in Enfield in 2020 which will also cater for demand from North Kildare.

In North Kildare, there are a number of different areas which are likely to experience growth. These include Maynooth, Leixlip, Kilcock and Celbridge. My Department is engaging with planning (local) authorities with a view to ensuring that suitable school sites are zoned in the individual settlements should they be necessary to meet projected needs. The main focus of my Department’s capital resources over the last decade and for the coming period, under the NDP, is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics, including provision for Special Education Needs.

Under Project Ireland 2040, during the NDP period 2018-2020, there were 526 completed building projectsunder the Large Scale Capital Programme (LSCP) and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA). These projects delivered in excess of 48,000 school places, including permanent accommodation for 229 special classes;and additional capacity for 67 classrooms in 14 special schoolsthroughout the country.

Of the 526school building projects completed in 2018-2020, 16of these projects delivered were in County Kildare; 13of those were primary schools including one special school. There were 3post-primary school building projects.

A further 13 projects are currently on site, eight at primary level and five at post primary. 34 projects are at various stages of planning and design.

The current status of these projects being delivered is listed on a county by county basis on www.gov.ieand is updated on a monthly basis to reflect their progress through the various stages.

From 2018 to date, there has been €179m in capital funding (including Minor Works Grants) issued from my Department in respect of school capital grants and school building projects in Co. Kildare. €38m during 2021 to date and a further €141m across 2018, 2019 and 2020.

My Department is aware of the challenges of Covid and the challenging market conditions currently underway and is working proactively to ensure that all school building contracts are awarded as expeditiously as possible, while working within the parameters set by the Office of Government Procurement and principles of public procurement set out at both national and EU level.